The Manchester Test and the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy is fast slipping away from India, if it hasn't already. After a Joe Root masterclass put the visitors firmly in the box seat on the third day, injured captain Ben Stokes got a hundred of his own on the fourth day to go with the five-wicket haul that he had got with the ball earlier in the game. As it continued to be one-way traffic at Old Trafford, India's pace Jasprit Bumrah encountered unfamiliar territory in his bowling stats.
For the first time in his 47-match Test career, Bumrah conceded more than 100 runs in a Test innings. It is a streak that last for 90 innings from his debut that was approximately seven years ago. The pace spearhead's stats reflected India's struggles as a whole as they conceded 500-plus in an away Test for the first time since 2015. With his workload constantly under the scanner, playing back-to-back Tests was a strict no-no from the BCCI medical staff but the Indian think tank decided to punt on Bumrah for two reasons.
ALSO READ
- Was Shubman Gill really unfit to play against South Africa in Ahmedabad? Reports reveal BIG TWIST before India's T20 World Cup 2026 squad announcement
- 'Has it ever happened before?': Gautam Gambhir's old interview after losing vice-captaincy to Virat Kohli goes viral again after India's T20 WC 2026 squad announcement
- How much money was Lionel Messi paid for GOAT India Tour? Full details revealed by chief organizer
Firstly, there was an eight-day break between Lord's and Manchester, and with India trailing 1-2 in the series, it was a game that Bumrah had to feature in. However, his average speeds have been shockingly low by his standards and till the tea break on Day 3, he hadn't gone past the 140kph mark even once - a startling stat. To make matters worse for Bumrah, he had a freak accident as well. During the second session, he had momentarily gone off the field to get some treatment and while returning, tripped on the stairs to twist his ankle. While it wasn't a major accident, it still did enough to annoy Bumrah who just didn't look anywhere close to his best in Manchester.
Right from the first spell with the new ball, Bumrah seemed to lack the zip that you'd normally associate with him. He erred in length far too often and even missed his line quite a bit. The greatest of bowlers do have an off day and unfortunately for India, Bumrah's has come at a critical point in the series. If the visitor go on to lose the Manchester Test, the series will be done and therefore, it's fair to say that Bumrah won't feature at The Oval.
